# Kraslice

Kraslice (Czech pronunciation:; German: Graslitz) is a town in Sokolov District in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 6,600 inhabitants. It was a large and important town until World War II. It is known for the manufacture of musical instruments.

## Administrative division

Kraslice consists of 15 municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census):
* Kraslice (5,834)
* Černá (12)
* Čirá (29)
* Hraničná (0)
* Kámen (7)
* Kostelní (16)
* Krásná (87)
* Liboc (11)
* Mlýnská (18)
* Počátky (15)
* Sklená (20)
* Sněžná (31)
* Tisová (88)
* Valtéřov (3)
* Zelená Hora (135)

## Etymology

The roots of the name derive from the medieval German Graz, meaning "trimmed conifer twigs". The name Graslitz was then a diminutive of the word Graz. The Czech name Kraslice is a transliteration of the German name and also literally means "blown easter egg".

## Geography

Kraslice is located about 18 kilometres (11 mi) north of Sokolov and 26 km (16 mi) northwest of Karlovy Vary. It lies on the border with Germany, adjacent to the German town of Klingenthal. It is situated in the western part of the Ore Mountains. The highest point is the mountain Počátecký vrch at 819 m (2,687 ft) above sea level. The built-up area is situated in the valley of the Svatava River and its tributary, the stream Stříbrný potok.
Kraslice lies in an area known for swarm type seismic activity. The last strong earthquake swarm was in 1986.

## History

The area was settled by German monks from Waldsassen Abbey in the 12th and 13th centuries. In the mid-13th century, a guard castle was built here and settlements were established around it. The first written mention of Kraslice is from 1272, when King Ottokar II of Bohemia donated it to Jindřich the Elder of Plavno. During the rule of the lords of Plavno in the 14th century, tin, lead and silver mining has developed in the area, and Kraslice became a prosperous settlement. In 1370, it was promoted by Charles IV to a royal town.
At the beginning of the 15th century, Kraslice became the seat of the robber knights, and in 1412 the town was looted by the army, which aimed to rid the region of robbers. The town did not recover until 1527, when it was acquired by Jeroným Schlick and made it a free mining town. Ore mining in the vicinity of Kraslice has been declining since the 17th century. From 1666 to 1848, the town was owned by the Nostic family. Mining was replaced by folk crafts, the textile industry, and the manufacture of musical instruments and toys. In 1886, the railway was built.
From 1938 to 1945 it was annexed by Nazi Germany and administered as part of Reichsgau Sudetenland. In 1944 a women's subcamp of Flossenbürg concentration camp was established here. The German-speaking population was expelled in 1945 and the town was resettled with Czechs.

## Demographics

| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1869 | 12,006 | — |
| 1880 | 14,176 | +18.1% |
| 1890 | 17,147 | +21.0% |
| 1900 | 19,264 | +12.3% |
| 1910 | 22,418 | +16.4% |
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1921 | 20,419 | −8.9% |
| 1930 | 22,310 | +9.3% |
| 1950 | 7,383 | −66.9% |
| 1961 | 7,617 | +3.2% |
| 1970 | 7,128 | −6.4% |
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1980 | 7,371 | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 7,604 | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 7,273 | −4.4% |
| 2011 | 6,695 | −7.9% |
| 2021 | 6,306 | −5.8% |
Source: Censuses :

## Economy

Kraslice is known for the Amati Kraslice company, a manufacturer of musical instruments. The tradition of this manufacture dates back to 1631.

## Transport

Kraslice is located on the railway line Sokolov–Klingenthal. Passenger services are provided by the railway company of GW Train Regio.

## Sights

The main landmark of the town centre is the Church of Corpus Christi. It was built in the neo-Romanesque style in 1893–1896 and replaced a dilapidated church from 1619. It is a three-aisled basilica with a prominent tower.
Municipal slaughterhouse is a unique complex of Art Nouveau buildings, created in 1904. It is protected as a technical and cultural monument. Today it is privately owned and gradually reconstructed.

## Notable people

* Julius Meinl I (1824–1914), Austrian businessman, founder of Julius Meinl AG
* Rudolf Dellinger (1857–1910), German Bohemian composer
* Roland Bauer (1928–2017), German politician
* Petr Drozda (born 1952), wrestler and stuntman
* Eliška Staňková (born 1984), discus thrower
* Kateřina Zohnová (born 1984), basketball player
* Michael Krmenčík (born 1993), footballer

## Twin towns – sister cities

Kraslice is twinned with:
* Klingenthal, Germany